When I’m driving and I think of something I want to remember, I will record a voicemail on my phone and send it to myself.  The problem is, I do this so often that my email provider treats them as spam and blocks them from my inbox. 

How crazy is that – I am being blocked from communicating with myself.  Oh well I guess that’s better than unfriending myself. 

The truth is most of us are somewhat blocked from ourselves.  In other words, we choose to beware of being self-aware.  We don’t fully know who we are, and why we do what we do, and we are naïve as to how we impact others.   And truthfully, some of us don’t want to know. 

This was an issue that Jesus tackled in Luke 6.  He asked, “Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while you yourself don’t see the beam in your own? You hypocrite! – Luke 6:41-42.

Jesus created a comical word picture involving one person with a speck in his eye.  The Greek word for speck is “karphos” which could be a tiny piece of straw or wood.  

But then there was another person who was cursed with a beam in his eye.  The Greek word here is “dokos” which refers to the main beam that supports all the other beams in a roof structure.  The main beam suggests that it was a fundamental flaw in his life. 

Jesus focused on what they saw of each other, but what they failed to see in themselves.  Both were flawed, one a little and the other immensely, but both were blind to their own shortcomings.     

I’m reminded of a story I once read in Readers Digest.  Beatrice Rogers was waiting for her turn to enter the confessional at church.  She happened to hear the priest admonish the person ahead of her.  He said, “Please limit your confession to your own sins.”

As with Jesus’ story, we are probably blinded to ourselves a little or a lot and we need to do something about it.  Jesus said, “First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  – Luke 6:42.

So, what can we do to open our eyes to ourselves? 

Well, we can pray and ask God to open the eyes of our hearts.   David courageously prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts” – Psalm 139:23. NASU

But the interesting thing In Jesus story, is that the beam guy was very aware of the failings of the speck guy.  So, what if they were to ask each other to share their observations?

My wife and I have done this for nearly fifty years now.  At bedtime, we pray with each other and read Scripture, but before we do, I ask her, “Have I done any badness today?” 

This is my way of asking her to help me understand how I have impacted her, so I can be a better me.  She answers, I seek her forgiveness and then she turns around and asks me the same question. 

This practice has fabulously helped us to open our eyes to the foolish and hurtful things we bring into our marriage and has made us far better spouses and people because of it.  

I will even occasionally ask my children to let me know if they see any hurtful way in me.

I took this practice to work with me as well.  Periodically I would ask my Elder Board to consider my preaching, and general pastoral ministry and make me aware of anything that might be hurtful.

So, take it from this guy with the beam in his eye.  Make an effort to, “Know Thyself.” 

A PRAYER: Lord, help us to know ourselves.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible® unless otherwise noted.